Friction feed ticket dispenser

ABSTRACT

A dispenser especially for lottery tickets feeds a web of tickets, by means of a knurled roll, rubber roll pressure nip with the leading ticket advancing across a platform, through a breaker zone, across a gap to a stop. The leading ticket is bowed as it bridges the gap to assure straightness and to resist collapse under breaker bar impact. The breaker bar impacts near a perforated line, with a karate type blow, to separate each successive ticket. If slightly out of registration, there is no accumulation of error as may occur with a cutter bar.

United States Patent [191 Wescoat 1 July 15,1975

1 FRICTION FEED TICKET DISPENSER [75] Inventor: George F. Wescoat,Manchester,

[73] Assignee: Granite State Machine Company,

Manchester, NH.

[22] Filed: Nov. 19, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 416,855

[52] U.S. Cl. 225/103; 30/241; 83/212;

269/315 [51] Int. Cl. B65h 35/10 [58] Field of Search 225/103, 93, 96.5;83/212, 83/210, 176, 436, 17, 422, 649, 372, 373,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,269,714 l/1942 Fenton83/212 2,687,174 8/1954 Richens 83/176 X 3,558,254 l/l97l Cahill 83/649X 7/1973 Long 83/422 X Primary ExaminerJ. M. Meister AssistantExaminer-Fred A. Siilverberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pearson & Pearson[57] ABSTRACT A dispenser especially for lottery tickets feeds a web oftickets, by means of a knurled roll, rubber roll pressure nip with theleading ticket advancing across a platform, through a breaker zone,across a gap to a stop. The leading ticket is bowed as it bridges thegap to assure straightness and to resist collapse under breaker barimpact. The breaker bar impacts near a perforated line, with a karatetype blow, to separate each successive ticket. If slightly out ofregistration, there is no accumulation of error as may occur with acutter bar.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FRICTION FEED TICKET DISPENSER BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The dispensing of tickets for lotteries has long presentedproblems not found, for example, with theatre tickets, insurancepolicies and the like because of the intrinsic value of the lotterytickets. Usually the automatic lottery ticket dispensers are placed inlocations, such as state liquor stores, wherein there are no skilledoperators ready to correct malfunctions such as the inadvertentdispensing of all of the tickets at once or the jam-up of a machine inrush purchase hours.

It has heretofore been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,372 to Richer ofOct. 12, 1971, to use registration pin chain feed and a registrationapertured web of tickets to be sure of a single ticket feed, theactuation coming from the closing of a door after the customer haswritten his name on the ticket. The tickets are torn off the web by thepurchaser.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,261 to Richer of May 22, 1973, the tickets arealso advanced by registration holes and registration pin chains, but arecut off by an upwardly moving pivoted knife. A tension bar assures aclean cut and clamps are provided to hold down the tickets against thelift-off effect of the up moving knife.

The tearing off of tickets and the cutting off of tickets, whilenormally satisfactory, can create considerable dispensing difficultywhen the tickets used in a particular state are of relatively flimsy,limp material or when a batch of tickets is printed inaccurately. Somestates do not approve of registration apertures in the web of tickets sothat they must be fed by friction. Prior art devices do not adaptthemselves to accurate control under these circumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention the friction feed isaccomplished by a lower knurled surface roll and upper rubber facedrolls which advance the continuous ticket web across a horizontalplatform having a forward edge corresponding to a bed plate. When theuser inserts the appropriate note in the note acceptor, the leading, orendmost, ticket advances from the platform until its perforated lineconnection to the next ticket is aligned with the platform edge at whichtime the leading edge of the ticket has entered the arcuate stop meansand closed a limit switch. The limit switch opens the circuit to themotor controlling the knurled feed roll while closing a circuit to thesolenoid for lowering the breaker bar. The ticket is bridging the gapbetween the platform edge and the stop and has been given a double bowby a pressure ring and slot which rigidifies and stiffens the ticketlike a tautly held paper readying for the impact of the breaker bar.Because the perforated line is proximate the platform edge and theticket is straight and taut, the bar can strike with a sharp karate typeblow exactly on the line, or even slightly away therefrom, and stillcause the ticket to separate exactly on the line without lint, cuttingsor continual accumulation of error. The stop means continues to supportthe leading edge of the ticket while the horizontal portion of thebreaker bar engages the trailing portion to snap the latter down into achute while flipping the ticket over to reveal the printed underside.Thus the costly registration chains are avoided and precise, successiveseparation of tickets obtained by the versatility of the blunt breakerbar means in compensating for any feed errors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a dispenserconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational. view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 withparts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation showing the breakerbar means and the ticket bowing means and the feed roll means of theinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus showing the solenoidfor actuating the breaker bar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The ticket dispenser apparatus31 of the invention is contained in a framework 32 which fits within themain housing of a conventional lottery ticket dispenser, such as shownin the abovementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,612,372 and 3,734,261 and nowwell known in the art. The mechanism is actuated by a commerciallyavailable note acceptor, not shown, which closes an electric circuit tothe feed roll motor 33 upon acceptance of the customers paper money.

The framework 32 includes a supply compartment 34 for a continuous web35 of individual lottery tickets 36, separated from each other byperforated lines 37, the web 35 being preferably fan folded as shown.Each successive leading, or endmost, ticket 38 has a leading edge 39, atrailing edge portion 41 and has printed indicia 42 on the underside,the web being advanced with the printed side down. The framework 32 alsoincludes a horizontal platform 43 with a forward edge 44 which serves asa bed plate as will be explained hereinafter.

A ticket delivery chute 45 is provided having a terminal end 46extending outside the main housing so that tickets dropping down thechute may be picked up by the purchaser.

Powered friction feed means 47 includes a lower feed roll 48 having aknurled surface 49 and fast on a shaft 51 driven by the electric feedroll motor 33 when the electric circuit 52 is closed by the noteacceptor start switch 53. Means 47 also includes an upper feed roll 54,formed by a plurality of rubber rings 55 mounted on a shaft 56 and allof predetermined identical diameter to form a pressure or feed nip 57.The clearance or pressure at nip 57 is adjusted by the knurled nuts 58which tighten the shaft 56 in place in slots in framework 32.

It will be seen that upon rotation of the knurled feed roll, when a notehas been accepted by the note acceptor, the web 35 will be advanced toadvance the leading, or endmost, ticket 38 across the platform 43,beyond the edge 44, through the segregation station 59 and across thegap 61 until the leading edge 39 engages the stop means 62.

Stop means 62 includes a pair of arcuate elements 63 and 64 dependingfrom the block 65 and each having a recess 66 for receiving andintercepting the leading edge as well as a curved portion 67 whichsupports the leading edge 39 of the segregated ticket while its trailingedge portion 41 is impacted downwardly to flip the ticket over, printedside up, as it falls down chute 45 (FIG. 2).

Stop means 62 also includes a limit switch 68 which is closed by thecontact of the leading edge 39 when that edge is within recess 66 and isexactly one ticket length from the forward edge 44 of platform 43, the

switch 68 opening the circuit to motor 33 to stop the feed roll means47. Switch 68 also closes a circuit to the solenoid 69 of the breakerbar means 71 to actuate the breaker bar thereof.

Breaker bar means 71 includes the breaker bar 72, which is of rightangular cross section with a vertical impact portion 73, having a bluntedge 74 and a horizontal portion 75 for engaging the trailing edgeportions 41 of each successive ticket at segregation station 59. As bestshown in FIG. 3, breaker bar 72 is pivoted at 76 and provided with areturn spring 77, so that when it is drawn downwardly by link 78 andsolenoid 69 the breaker bar is lowered with great speed alongside thebed plate formed by forward edge 44 to break off the endmost ticket 38at the perforated line 37.

A hold down roll 79 extends across framework 32 to prevent any snap-upof the next successive ticket when the breaker bar delivers its bluntkarate type blow.

If the web 35 is formed of relatively thin paper which is limp andnon-self-supporting, the leading ticket may sag down as it seeks tobridge the gap 61 and thereby miss the stop means and fail to actuateswitch 68. This may result in the entire web feeding out on the floor atgreat loss to the state and great good fortune to the purchaser.Similarly, such a thin web may result in the endmost ticket merely beingwiped downwardly by the breaker bar, rather than being separated, thusfailing to deliver the ticket. Upon the next actuation, the tickets maythen jam up in the stop means.

To overcome any possibility of such misfeeds occurring, ticket bowingmeans 81 is provided comprising a pair of rubber rings 82 and 83 ofenlarged diameter, each having the lower portion thereof received in oneof a pair of slots 84 and 85 in platform 43. The slots 84 and 85 extendin the direction of travel of the web and the diameter of rings 82 and83 is predetermined to create a bow or axially extending temporarycorrugation 86 and 87 in each endmost ticket 38 to lend strength andrigidity thereto so that the ticket will advance straight andhorizontally across the gap without sag to contact recess 66 and limitswitch 68. The bowing means, or guide means, 81 performs a secondfunction in making the ticket taut as it bridges the gap, like a pieceof cloth to be cut by a knife, so that even if the breaker bar 72 shouldnot impact exactly at each successive perforated line, the ticket willstill be segregated at that line and no accumulation of error willoccur.

Suitable switches 88 and 89 are included in circuit 52, to signal thattickets are exhausted so that the note acceptor will not accept moneywith the machine unable to dispense.

I claim:

1. In a lottery ticket dispenser of the type having a continuous web ofindividual lottery tickets, separated by perforated lines, guided from asupply compartment to a platform proximate a delivery chute, thecombination of:

powered friction feed mechanism, including a lower knurled roll forminga feed nip with an upper rubber roll for advancing said web across saidplatform;

stop means, mounted on said dispenser one tickets length beyond saidplatform, and including an arcuate element having a recess for receivingthe leading edge of each successive endmost ticket advanced therealongand a limit switch in said recess for stopping said feed mechanism whenclosed by contact with said leading edge;

ticket bowing means, associated with one of said feed rolls and saidplatform for bowing each successive endmost ticket bridging the gapbetween said platform and stop means for readying said ticket forseverance, while assuring that the ticket travels straight to said stopmeans; and

breaker means including a breaker bar normally poised out of the path ofsaid tickets proximate the edge of said platform, and power means formoving said bar downward to deliver a karate chop blow at the perforatedline separating the endmost ticket engaging said stop means to separatesaid ticket from said web along said perforated line.

2. A dispenser as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said upper roll of said friction feed mechanism is freely rotatable andformed of a plurality of individual rubber rings encircling a shaft andeach of identical outside diameter.

3. A dispenser as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said ticket bowing means comprises at least one slot in said platformextending in the direction of advance of said web and at least onerubber ring of greater diameter than the diameter of said upper roll andreceived in said slot;

whereby each successive ticket is distorted down into said slot by saidring to form a bowed portion to strengthen the resistance of said ticketto drooping or bending downwardly.

4. A dispenser as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said ticket bowing means is formed by a pair of slots, each on anopposite side of said lower roll in said platform, and a pair of ringson said upper roll, each extending into one of said slots to create apair of temporary corrugations in each endmost ticket causing saidticket to be self-supporting in advancing from said platform to saidstop means.

5. A dispenser as specified in claim 1, plus:

a hold down roll mounted to rotate proximate the edge of said platformnear the path of movement of said breaker bar, said roll preventingupward movement of the next successive ticket in reaction to the impactof the downward moving breaker bar.

6. A dispenser as specified in claim 1, wherein:

the arcuate element of said stop means includes a curved portion adaptedto support the leading front edge of each ticket segregated by saidbreaker bar, while the rearward edge of said ticket is impacteddownwardly by said breaker bar to fall down said chute, the ticket thusflipping over to reveal the printing on the underside thereof.

7. Apparatus for dispensing one ticket at a time from a web of suchtickets connected to each other by perforated lines, said apparatuscomprising:

powered feed rolls having a pressure nip for continuously advancing saidweb with the leading ticket advancing from a platform edge, through asegregation station, across a gap to a stop in the path of the leadingedge;

at least one said stop having a recess for receiving said leading edgeand a limit switch in said recess for stopping said feed rolls whenclosed by contact with said edge;

guide means proximate said platform edge for bowing each successiveleading ticket as it bridges said means to separate each successiveleading ticket from said web.

8. Apparatus as specified in claim 7, wherein:

said pivoted breaker bar means includes a breaker bar of right angularcross section, having a vertical portion with a blunt edge for impactingsaid tickets proximate the perforated line thereof and a horizontalportion for impacting the trailing portion of said tickets to cause thesame to fall, while the leading portion of said tickets are stillsupported by said stop means.

1. In a lottery ticket dispenser of the type having a continuous web ofindividual lottery tickets, separated by perforated lines, guided from asupply compartment to a platform proximate a delivery chute, thecombination of: powered friction feed mechanism, including a lowerknurled roll forming a feed nip with an upper rubber roll for advancingsaid web across said platform; stop means, mounted on said dispenser oneticket''s length beyond said platform, and including an arcuate elementhaving a recess for receiving the leading edge of each successiveendmost ticket advanced therealong and a limit switch in said recess forstopping said feed mechanism when closed by contact with said leadingedge; ticket bowing means, associated with one of said feed rolls andsaid platform for bowing each successive endmost ticket bridging the gapbetween said platform and stop means for readying said ticket forseverance, while assuring that the ticket travels straight to said stopmeans; and breaker means including a breaker bar normally poised out ofthe path of said tickets proximate the edge of said platform, and powermeans for moving said bar downward to deliver a karate chop blow at theperforated line separating the endmost ticket engaging said stop meansto separate said ticket from said web along said perforated line.
 2. Adispenser as specified in claim 1, wherein: said upper roll of saidfrictiOn feed mechanism is freely rotatable and formed of a plurality ofindividual rubber rings encircling a shaft and each of identical outsidediameter.
 3. A dispenser as specified in claim 1, wherein: said ticketbowing means comprises at least one slot in said platform extending inthe direction of advance of said web and at least one rubber ring ofgreater diameter than the diameter of said upper roll and received insaid slot; whereby each successive ticket is distorted down into saidslot by said ring to form a bowed portion to strengthen the resistanceof said ticket to drooping or bending downwardly.
 4. A dispenser asspecified in claim 1, wherein: said ticket bowing means is formed by apair of slots, each on an opposite side of said lower roll in saidplatform, and a pair of rings on said upper roll, each extending intoone of said slots to create a pair of temporary corrugations in eachendmost ticket causing said ticket to be self-supporting in advancingfrom said platform to said stop means.
 5. A dispenser as specified inclaim 1, plus: a hold down roll mounted to rotate proximate the edge ofsaid platform near the path of movement of said breaker bar, said rollpreventing upward movement of the next successive ticket in reaction tothe impact of the downward moving breaker bar.
 6. A dispenser asspecified in claim 1, wherein: the arcuate element of said stop meansincludes a curved portion adapted to support the leading front edge ofeach ticket segregated by said breaker bar, while the rearward edge ofsaid ticket is impacted downwardly by said breaker bar to fall down saidchute, the ticket thus flipping over to reveal the printing on theunderside thereof.
 7. Apparatus for dispensing one ticket at a time froma web of such tickets connected to each other by perforated lines, saidapparatus comprising: powered feed rolls having a pressure nip forcontinuously advancing said web with the leading ticket advancing from aplatform edge, through a segregation station, across a gap to a stop inthe path of the leading edge; at least one said stop having a recess forreceiving said leading edge and a limit switch in said recess forstopping said feed rolls when closed by contact with said edge; guidemeans proximate said platform edge for bowing each successive leadingticket as it bridges said gap to stiffen the same to travel in astraight path toward said stop; pivoted breaker bar means operablymounted at said platform edge to move downwardly to strike eachsuccessive ticket engaging said stop with a blunt blow to break off saidticket at its perforated line of joinder to said web; and a switch forstarting said feed rolls to advance said web; and electric circuitmeans, including said limit switch engaged by said leading edge at saidstop for halting said feed rolls, and actuating said breaker bar meansto separate each successive leading ticket from said web.
 8. Apparatusas specified in claim 7, wherein: said pivoted breaker bar meansincludes a breaker bar of right angular cross section, having a verticalportion with a blunt edge for impacting said tickets proximate theperforated line thereof and a horizontal portion for impacting thetrailing portion of said tickets to cause the same to fall, while theleading portion of said tickets are still supported by said stop means.